Burner apparatus



May 24, 1927.l A

. 1,629,722 E. MICHAUD BURNER APPARATUS Filed May ll, 1922 2 Sheets-Shea?l l v 1,629,722 May `24 1927' lIE. MICHAUD BURNER APPARTUS Filed May l1, 1922 -Klllorneg 2 'Sheets-Sheet 2 so arranged that substantially al Patented May 24, 1927.V

UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ASSIGNOB TO ERNEST L. DAYTON.

0I' DETROIT, H IGHIGAN.

:summa ArrA'aA'rUs.

Application led *Iay 11,

My invention relates to burner apparatus, suitable. for general heating purposes, but particularly adaptable for use 1n connection with apparatus for the heating of small buildings, forexample, automobile garages, or individual rooms in dwelling houses, oiiice buildings or factories, n culatory system for the heating medium, for example, hot water, and heat generating means therefor; andthe principal objects ofthe present invention are to provide improved burner apparatus of simple and compact construction, and which will be safe, efficient and require but little attention in its operation.

Another object is to provide improved means for heating the circulating medium the heat generated will be conserved and efficiently used for its intended purpose.

Further objects of my present invention are to provide improved means for supplying the fuel to the burner and novel means for igniting the fuel in starting.

In its preferred form the invention contemplates providing means whereby the fuel will be y,gasified before reaching the burner, and a further object of the invention is to l provide means whereby a portion of the gas generated will be accumulated in the fuel supply tank so that the body Jof liquid fuel therein will be under a constant pressure.

The invention consists in the novel constructions, arran ements and devices to be hereinafter described and claimed; for carrying out the above stated objects and such other objects as will appear from the following specification.-

. The invention is illustrated in a certain preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings wherein ,fnection Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an apparatus-embodying. the principles of my invention; I'

Figs. '2, 3, and 4 are sectional views taken respectively, Ion the lines 2-2, 3-.-3, and 4-4 of Fig. 1; and -v v Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the heat generating means and' the preferred. fuel supply and ignition systems therefor.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in the vseveral figures. Y The invention has been illustrated in conwith a portable radiator. V The radiiator section 14 is' formedjso as to provide a provided with a `provided with an opening which comprises a cirlspark plug. On casing 1922. Serial. No. 560,110.

tank 29 vfor the storage of liquid fuel and acompartment 30 for the vibrator 31 and battery -32 of the ignition system, this compartment being located in one corner an door 33.

poses which is normally closed by a screw plug 35. The liquid fuel feeds by gravity from the tank 29 through a pipe 36 to a coil 37 and thence to a fitting with a valved orifice. The coil and valved orifice constitute the burner and are located under the water `chamber 25 of the radiator and are enclosed within a suitable casin 39. A pipe 40 leads from the fitting 38 bac to the top of the fuel supply tank, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.

Anignition system is preferably used for starting purposes. A spark plug 41 is secured to the casing 39 the terminal 42 thereof projecting into and bein substantially concentric with vthe coil 3 A tubular screen 43 of wire gauze is fitted within the coil 37 and forms the other terminal of the a bracket 44 secured to the 39 1s mounted an insulated contact 45. The valve in the fitting 38 is of the ordinary needle type and is arranged sothat the jet of fuel assing against t e coil 37. The stein 46 o the valve is provided with a member 47 which is secured thereto the member when the valve. stem is turned. The high tension terminal 48 of the vibrator is connected to the spark plug by a conductor 49. The contact member 45 is connected to the battery 32 by a conductor 50. The other side of the battery is connected to terminal 51 of the vibrator by a conductor 52. Terminal 53 is connecte to ground .54 by a conductor 55.

For the sake of clearness the contact member 47 is shown as being grounded at 56 and the screen 43 as being grounded at 57. The Ascreen 43 andmember 47 being a part of the apparatus are electrically connected and 1n practice it would only be necessary to ground the conductor 55 to the apparatus The space 5 8 within the casing 39 constitutespa combustion chamber. rThe casing is formed with an opening 59 to ermit the entrance of air. The.warm air yrom the combustion chamber passes upwardly through the annular space 60 surrounding vthe water chamber 25 into the pipe61, passing out The tank 29 is 34 for filling pur- 38 which is provided therefrom will im inge v freshthrough the openings 62 ,provided in the hood 63 attached to the top of pipe 61. The currents of air passing upwardly in the pipe 6l.l serve to heat a pipe 27 extending through the pipe 61 from the water chamber 25 to the upper end portion .of the radiator. The pipe 61 acts as a iue and aids in drawing fresh air into the combustion chamber 58. The opening 59 and the 'pipe 6'1 are of s uch relative proportions as to permit suiiiclent chamber 58 and substantially complete combustion of the fuel is obtained.

the valve to be member 47 is 56, contact member 47,

. the

i been ignited the valve that the member 47 is out of contact with the 'member 45, which automatically cuts out Operation.

The ignition system is controlled by the contact member 47 on the valvestemk 4 6 which member is arranged so as to permit member makescontact with the member 45, this arrangement permitting a small quantity of the liquid fuel to be sprayed onto the screen 43 for starting purposes. When the in contact with the member 45 current flows from the battery 32 through conductor 52, terminal 51,V through the low tension coil of the vibrator (not. terminal 53, conductor 55, ground 54, ground and conductor to battery 32. Current flowing' through the circuit described produces a-current in thelsecondaxiy coil (not shown) ofthe v spark to jump from terminal 42 to screen 43 which ignites the fuel on the screen, the high tension current taking the 'following path; Terminal 48 through conductor 49 to spark plug`41,` ter mlnal 42, where it jumps across the spark gap to screen 43 grounded at 57-thence to ground' 54, conductor 55, terminal 53 ofthe vibrator which acts also as a terminal for high tension or secondary coil, as is common inv vibrators. `After the' fuel has stem 46 is turned so the ignition system.

'l The coil 37 causes the fia-me tospreadiout s'o thatsubstantially the entire bottom surf face of the chamber 2 5 is subjected to fthe action' of the flame. The water in the chamber 25 4is heated to a vhigh temperature which vcauses it to 'circulate' upwardlyv through the pipe 27 and into the radiation- The cham- 'ber 25 and pipe 27 constitute a boiler .for

heating the' circulating medium.

Gasoline is preferably used for fuel. The fuel feeds by gravity from the tank tothe c'oil 37 whereit ,.isjcompletely ,gasilied, assuming normal operating conditions before .e passing to' theorice inv the fitting 38. "Not allthe gas generated passes through the orice in the fitting 38. A portion of iti-:returns to p the supply tank.

air to be drawn into the combustion opened slightly .before the h shown), d

contact member 45,v

v vibrator, the intensity of which is suficient'- to cause a The gas accumulates in the tank and the liquid fuel therein is under a pressure. The amount of pressure which accumulates in the tank depends upon the size of the orifice Iin the vfitting 38. I have found that the best results are obtained when the orifice is of sufiicient-size to permit a pressure of approximately 15 pounds to build up in the supply tank, and. by proper setting of the stem 46 the pressure in the .tank can be majutained Substantially constant. The pressures in the pipes 36 and 4() are balanced against each other-at all times. If the pressure in the pipe 40 tends to rise above n ormal its influence is exerted against the head of liquid'fuel in the pipe 36 and the flowH of liquid fuel therein is retarded until normal conditions obtain in the pipe 40. If, owever, the pressure in the pipe 40 should tend to drop below normal the flow of fuel through the pipe 36 will be accelerated which will result in' more gas being produced than will be consumed .and the pressure in the pipe 40 will immediately build up to normal' Thergasification of the liquid fuel trapped in the coil 37', under normal operating'conitions, is complete and instantaneous. An expansion takes sults in pulsations or bubbles Workingback wardly throughthe: pipe 36 and upwardly -th'roughthe'bodyofllquid fuell contained in j the tank;` This and results in a being brought with theheavier gases accumulated in thev tank, these gases tendingto filter through `the body of the liquid fuel. The tempera vture lof the fuell is cold enoughto condense the heavier gases but warm enough to absorb the condensable elements. he heavier hydrocarbons settle to thebottom of the tank v and pass on to the burner. Thus the operation of the fuel system in this manner re-v sults in acontinuous relining'process of the fuel stored'in the tank'. I have found that the gas whichaccumulates in the tank, after the system has been in operation for a few hours, in the manner describedis a -substantially fixed and noncondensable gas.

' Under normal operating conditions the temperature of the gas returning to the supply taiik through the pipe 4i() will be quite 'hi h .y In fact, approximately as much heat wi l be given off y the surface ofthe radiator sectlon 14'L asb'y any one of theother sections. If, for any reason the flame should be extinguished and the valve in the fitting 38 not rclosed the accumulated gas will pass out through the valveso, long as the pressure is above atmospheric. Some gas, however,` will be trapped `inthe tank and as it cools and contracts' quite rapidly a vacuum will be established' therein. A certain Aquantity of gas will be' trapped in the coil- 37.-y Underxthese conditions I have found certain portion of the fuel bubbling action is uniforminto -intimate relationship-- I ing out Vthrough the orifice. in the fitting 38.

l'ai

' and the usual ltention to operate and for ,small buildings,

'- place to place if desired.

` tween The apparatus is safeto operate and very eflicient. Substantially all the heat .gener-1 ated is conserved and used for its intendet urpose. The apparatus is self 4contained radiation losses, which are inthe radiators are located at a distancefrom the boiler. are entirely avoided. The apparatus requiresbut little atthis reason it is evitable when adaptable for the heat-ing o like an automobile garage, or individual rooms of a house, factory .r or other buildings. The appartus being mounton a single base may easily be moved from articularly The expansion which takes place in the coil 37 and the condi-tions .obtaining in the pipes 36 and 40 effectively prevent the accumulation of any deposit of hydrocarbon therein.

I donot intend to limit my invention to the details of construction shown and escribed except only in so far as certain o the appended claims are specifically so limited, as it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without .depart-ing from the spirit of my invention.

I claimt 1`. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a liquid fuel supply tank, a pipe line leading from turningV thereto and comprising means trapping liquid fuel 'to which the fuel feeds by gravity from the t'ank through the'pipe line, and a burner device connected by the pipe line with the tank, the supply pipe be-A the tank and the burneigdevioe lying the normal level of the fuel entirely below Y device having an in the tank, saidburner orifice through which a iet of liquid fue passes from the pipe line-by gravity feed from the tank into contact with said trapping means and through which gas is forced or feeding a name against .said trapping means when the trapping means has become heated.

2'. In an apparatus of the class described, the combinationof a liquid fuel supply tank, pipe line leading from the tank and i'eturning thereto and comprising a for trapping liquid fuel to which the fuel feeds by gravity from the tank r line., and a burner device connecte I pipe line with the tank, ,the supply pipe etween the tank and the burner device 'lying entirely below` the normal level -o ,is forced for feeding a f fuel to which -coil when the coil has .burner device lying the tank. and re- A for said valve a spark jumps in the tank, ysaid burner device having an Vorifice through which liquid fuel flows from the pipe line by gravity from the tank into contact with said. coil and through which gas flame against such coil when the coil has become heated.

3. In an apparatus `of the class described, the' combination of a liquid a pipe line leading from turning thereto and comprising a coil av- -ing a plurality of convolution's in super- -posed relation'serying as a tiap with respect to the sudden expansion there-in of liqui coil the fuel feeds by gravity from. the tank vthrough the pipe line, an a burner device connected by the pipe line with the ta.nk,-the supply pipe between' the tank and the burner .device lying entirely below the normal level. of the fuel in the tank, said burner y tank,

through which liquid fuel fiows from the l pipe line by gravity lfrom the tank into oontact with said coil and through which gas is 'forced foi feeding a flame against such become heated. a. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a liquid fuel supply tank, a pipe line leading from the tank and-comrising means for trapping liquid fuel to which the fuel feeds by gravity from the tank through thepipe line, connected by the vpipe line the supply pipe between the tank and the entirely below the nor-- in the tank, said burner device 'hafving an orifice through which a iet of liquid fuel passes from the pipe line b gravity feed from the tank into contactwiti said trapping means an through which gas formed-in the trapping means wien the trapping means has become heated is forced for feeding-a 4flame against said trapping means, valve means for closing said orifice, 'and other p ipe line means leading from sai mal level of the fuel the tank the surp the burner. 5. In apparatus combination with a burner having a orifice, means to supply fuel to 'said and a gauze screen associated with said burner against which the fuel impinges, o ignition meansvincluding a spark plug associated with said burner and a circuit closing device mounted on the handle of said valve, said screen forming one terminal of the spark gap whereby upon from said plug to ignites the fuel thei'eon.v ELZEAR MICH us; gas not consumed a of the class described, the

' valve said screen and f @einer the opening of 'a burner device. lwith the tank,v

d 1.05 l 'burnerdevice to said tank for returning to d liu burner, l 

